Collaborative Developmental Action Inquiry

Abstract

Life in the 21st century is increasingly complex, paradoxical, and ambiguous, bringing into question the ways that graduate adult education programs function. In this article, we describe an action research study involving the method of collaborative developmental action inquiry conducted with key stakeholders of a program in adult education at a research one university. Collaborative developmental action inquiry created opportunities for transformative learning to take place. The study process and outcomes suggest that the method and practices of collaborative developmental action inquiry could themselves create favorable conditions for transformative learning to occur.

Resisting ableism in deliberately developmental organizations: A discursive analysis of the identity work of employees with disabilities

“…Although such radical openness often creates a sense of loss and vulnerability, a shared trust and commitment to mutual growth and development help people continue to coengage with the unknown while struggling through the emotional disruptions caused by old frames of reference being challenged. In this sense, a DDO is a workplace, and simultaneously a community of inquiry comprised of people dedicated to practicing ongoing inquiry with the values of integrity, mutuality, and sustainability (Nicolaides & Dzubinski, 2015;Torbert, 2004).…”

Managing Diversity Through Triple-Loop Learning

“…In addition, its evolutionary features emphasizing the importance of one's developmental capacity in learning and the belief in the potential for cycles of growth and transformation are what explicitly distinguish developmental action inquiry from Argyris' version of action science (Torbert, 1999). Without adequate developmental capacity, one cannot effectively initiate, learn through, complete, and internalize the various loops of feedback given to them (Nicolaides & Dzubinski, 2016). This is especially important in many interpersonal contexts, in that the lack of developmental capacity of any individual involved in the same situation would make it difficult for mature reflection and true transformation to happen.…”

“…This is especially important in many interpersonal contexts, in that the lack of developmental capacity of any individual involved in the same situation would make it difficult for mature reflection and true transformation to happen. On top of this, in CDAI, its collaborative nature enables participants to better engage in critical reflection by exposing and encouraging them to consider others' perspectives, thereby facilitating their transformative learning experiences (Nicolaides & Dzubinski, 2016). Unlike traditional research, collaboration also overcomes the power of the researcher over the participants and creates mutually transforming power among them, which leads to an open and authentic environment where all parties can potentially experience transformative learning and grow (Torbert, 2004).…”

“…A more homogeneous group might hinder participants from experiencing diverse perspectives and challenging themselves to step out of their taken-for-granted frames of reference, but a more heterogeneous group could also have the negative potential to threaten collaboration among participants. To ensure a group's success in practicing CDAI, each person's way of knowing and willingness to learn from experience should also be considered (Nicolaides & Dzubinski, 2016). As part of the method, each employee prepares a description of their own uncomfortable experience in a written format (a case) to make the experience object so that a more complete understanding of differences is co-explored through the practice of inquiry.…”

Conceptualizing and Enabling Transformative Learning Through Relational Onto-Epistemology: Theory U and the u.lab Experience

“…Some of the qualities that adult education institutions seek to develop in their graduates – such as cultural competence; inventiveness; having an integrated professional, ethical and personal identity; community engagement; and influence 1 – imply the need to develop learners’ disposition for self-awareness and self-knowledge, perspective transformation, openness, generative listening and personal responsibility. Nevertheless, as Nicolaides and Dzubinski (2016, p. 133) remark, the capacity to create environments where such transformative learning can occur remains limited (see also McEwan-Short & Jupp Kina, 2018).…”